Metis Hyperion: Igniting Hope for AI Narratives on Ethereum?

1. Metis Hyperion Overview

Metis is part of the Ethereum L2 ecosystem, based on Optimistic Rollup technology. It initially launched the Andromeda mainnet, which is characterized by a decentralized sequencer that grants transaction ordering rights to community participants. In March 2025, Metis announced a dual-chain strategy: launching the high-performance Hyperion chain on top of the existing general-purpose chain Andromeda. The former is positioned as a secure and reliable general-purpose L2, while the latter focuses on high-frequency, high-throughput, and AI-driven application scenarios. The Hyperion architecture is built on the Metis SDK, with the core being the new MetisVM virtual machine (EVM-compatible, supporting AI-optimized instructions), aimed at optimizing scalability and decentralization while significantly enhancing transaction efficiency.

Hyperion is committed to building a "high-performance, AI-native" L2 network that can achieve near-millisecond transaction confirmation and ultra-high transaction throughput, making AI-native applications (such as on-chain LLM inference and decentralized AI agents) possible. Overall, Metis emphasizes security and decentralization through a dual-chain architecture, while Andromeda emphasizes high performance and AI applications, with both providing complementary support for different application scenarios.

The development roadmap of Metis can be summarized in two points: First, continuously improving the core L2 infrastructure, such as the addition of real-time data availability migration and fraud proof mechanisms in the Andromeda upgrade in May 2025, making it the industry's first "truly decentralized" Layer 2; Second, moving towards modularity and multi-chain interoperability, lowering the development barrier through Metis SDK, and promoting the development of a multi-chain ecosystem. The launch of Hyperion has, to some extent, reshaped the value logic of the METIS token: transforming Metis from just an L2 to a platform of "multi-chain infrastructure + AI dedicated chain."

2. On-chain LLM? What is the logic implemented by Metis?

2.1 AI ecosystem closed loop three-piece set: SDK, Hyperion, LazAI

Hyperion, as an Optimistic Rollup, inherits the security models of Metis and Optimism, while mainly iterating on aspects such as parallel computing, data availability, and decentralization. The main focus of optimization is on AI and high-frequency application scenarios. Specifically, Metis promotes ecosystem development through the three major systems of Metis SDK + Hyperion + LazAI.

• Parallel Execution Engine: Hyperion introduces parallel execution technologies like Block-STM, allowing independent transactions within a block to run together. By adopting optimistic concurrency control and dynamic DAG scheduling algorithms, independent transactions in the same block can execute simultaneously, significantly enhancing throughput.

• Decentralized Sorter: The transaction sorting rights of Hyperion are jointly borne by a multi-node network, rather than controlled by a single node or a few operators. The specific mechanism includes Leader Rotation and Encrypted Mempool combined with Proposer-Builder Separation (PBS) to prevent front-running and centralized interference.

• Data Availability: The Hyperion project fully leverages the new features of Ethereum and external DA services to ensure data availability. With the advancement of Ethereum EIP-4844, Hyperion (and Andromeda) will directly publish transaction data to L1 through blob transactions, inheriting Ethereum's security while reducing costs. According to official statements, Metis is also preparing to integrate EigenDA.

• Fraud Proof Mechanism: Hyperion continues to adopt an optimistic system model, but has upgraded its fraud proof. Metis committed early on to introducing a complete fraud proof mechanism and data availability scheme; its ReGenesis roadmap also proposed "executing the latest fault proof system from OP Stack." In other words, Hyperion will adopt an interactive error correction mechanism: after the sequencer publishes a new block, "observers" in the network have a window period to submit challenges (e.g., a 7-day period) to prove the block is invalid. Once this challenge is successful, the malicious block will be rolled back, and the responsible party will face penalties.

AI Native Infrastructure: The Metis SDK allows users to build their own L2 or L3 blockchains. It has integrated an upgraded version of the EVM (called MetisVM) and parallel processing capabilities, along with a decentralized sorting mechanism. Hyperion is a high-performance AI-specific Layer 2 built using this SDK, combining Optimistic Rollup, parallel execution, and distributed sorting, achieving nearly real-time transaction confirmation and on-chain AI inference. According to official sources, MetisVM enhances transaction efficiency by approximately 30% through dynamic opcode optimization and parallel execution mechanisms. Meanwhile, MetisDB utilizes memory-mapped Merkle trees and concurrency control, enabling state access in the nanosecond range, effectively eliminating storage bottlenecks. These technologies combined allow Hyperion to run AI inference tasks such as large language models (LLM) directly on-chain, laying a strong foundation for AI contracts.

AI Narrative Project Incubation: Metis is also actively incubating AI-related projects, such as the LazAI protocol. This is an open network focused on "trusted AI data assets," aiming to address the issues of data opacity and inconsistency in AI usage. LazAI leverages blockchain's verifiable computing and standardized mechanisms to create an open and transparent data market, ensuring that AI models use high-quality data and can support cross-chain usage. Based on this protocol, Metis has also launched the Alith framework, a development tool specifically designed for AI agents tailored for blockchain. Developers can quickly write AI Agents on Metis using the Alith SDK and deploy them online. The official example provided is quite relatable: users can simply issue commands in natural language through a Telegram chatbot to complete DeFi operations like lending, without needing to write smart contracts themselves. This design greatly lowers the threshold for ordinary people to use AI applications and makes developers' work significantly easier.

2.2 Compared to other L2s, what capabilities does Hyperion enhance for Metis?

Hyperion is still based on Optimistic Rollup, and Metis has built differentiated competitiveness through forward-looking technology and strategic layout: technologies like Hyperion meet the performance requirements of AI applications, the dual-chain and SDK model caters to both general and specialized needs, and decentralized ordering enhances ecological trust. The differentiation competition with other L2s mainly reflects in aspects such as Hyperion architecture, dual-chain strategy, Metis SDK, and decentralized orderers.

High-Performance Execution Layer: Metis Hyperion is a high-performance Layer 2 designed for AI, which is officially stated to achieve near real-time settlement and Web2-level response speed through Optimistic Rollup, parallel execution, and distributed sorting technology. Hyperion introduces MetisVM------a virtual machine customized for high-frequency trading and AI tasks, featuring dynamic opcode optimization, parallel execution, and caching mechanisms, which can significantly enhance the execution efficiency of smart contracts. At the same time, Hyperion has designed on-chain inference support for AI reasoning, including dedicated precompiled contracts and execution engine optimizations.

Dual Chain Strategy (Andromeda + Hyperion): Metis retains the original Andromeda chain as a general-purpose L2, continuing to provide stable infrastructure for applications such as DeFi; at the same time, it launches Hyperion specifically to serve AI scenarios. This "dual network" architecture addresses the trade-off between versatility and specialization: it avoids stagnation in homogeneous competition with other L2s and provides a dedicated space for AI applications.

Metis SDK and Developer Ecosystem: Metis SDK is a modular toolkit designed for developers, integrating blueprints, build tools, and standard interfaces, enabling developers to quickly set up custom execution layers or applications. Metis SDK allows developers to rapidly deploy Layer2/Layer3 using mature modules, and facilitates smooth migration or interaction between Andromeda and Hyperion, significantly improving ecosystem construction efficiency and interoperability.

Decentralized Sorter: In 2024, Metis successfully launched the industry's first fully decentralized sorter, transferring transaction sorting rights to community nodes and a staking mechanism. This mechanism achieves fault tolerance and anti-censorship capabilities through rotating consensus nodes and incentive token governance, completely eliminating the risk of single point of failure.

3. If Ethereum focuses on L1, how will Metis respond?

3.1 If the main chain does not distribute rewards, Metis will build its own candy factory.

Assuming that Ethereum will focus on the development of its own L1 (such as underlying consensus and sharding upgrades) in the future, rather than continuing to directly expand L2, how can L2 platforms like Metis maintain and expand their influence? According to the All in AI strategic roadmap released by Metis, the current strategy of Metis is to pursue a modular and multi-chain approach.

Firstly, Metis's dual-chain architecture and MetisSDK provide the ability to build multiple dedicated chains, while the launch of Hyperion marks Metis's transformation from a "single L2" to a "modular multi-chain infrastructure". Through MetisSDK, any team can quickly create customized blockchains like building blocks—configuring parallel execution consensus, EVM-compatible layer, AI-optimized VM, on-chain storage, and other components. This means that Metis operates not only two chains but also supports more "industry-specific chains": such as AI computing chains, DePIN infrastructure chains, gaming chains, each meeting different scenario needs.

Secondly, Metis emphasizes cross-chain interoperability and a collaborative ecosystem. The official roadmap and community communications have repeatedly mentioned the introduction of cross-chain bridging and data/computation aggregation mechanisms. It is not difficult to find that Metis will integrate third-party cross-chain communication protocols, allowing assets and smart contracts to flow freely between Metis and other public chains. The Hyperion architecture also emphasizes "shared bridge + cross-chain interconnection" and proposes "decentralized data and computation aggregation," connecting AI applications with various data networks and computing resources.

The community is not only users but also direct participants and beneficiaries of the network operation. By opening the role of the sorter, anyone can become a block proposer by staking and receive sorting rewards. Meanwhile, Metis is planning to introduce an AI node operation incentive mechanism to encourage more developers to deploy reasoning services to provide on-chain AI capabilities.

3.2 Metis All in AI strategy, how to drive ecological development through AI

Let's get straight to the point: There are obvious centralization risks and performance bottlenecks in using AI services on-chain, such as transmitting results through oracles. To address these issues, Hyperion has partnered with LazAI to introduce an AI agent framework called Alith. Developers can write "AI agents" using the Alith SDK and deploy them as contract modules on Hyperion. These agents can handle functions like model selection, inference logic, and fault response, and other contracts on-chain can directly invoke them, enabling functionalities such as chatbots, prediction tools, or DAO assistants. Through mechanisms like precompiled contracts, Hyperion integrates AI inference into the on-chain execution process, and inference results can be fixed on-chain through logs, reproducible operations, or trusted execution environments, thus achieving verifiable trustworthiness. This approach retains the transparency of blockchain while meeting the computational needs of AI, truly advancing "AI on-chain."

Additionally, Hyperion's parallel processing and low latency are particularly suitable for AI tasks. As long as there are no conflicts between requests, they can run simultaneously, making it significantly more efficient than traditional L2 sequential execution. MetisVM has also specifically optimized for AI, such as using Rust/WASM to improve performance, supporting various inputs like text and images, allowing AI models to run directly on-chain. This entire design is aimed at achieving what Metis refers to as "the first to run locally on-chain."